Trustees
Meet the Why me? trustees who oversee the management of the charity.
Chair, David Munro
David Munro was Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner between 2016-2021. This elected post involves overseeing Surrey Police’s overall strategy and budget, holding the Chief Constable to account, and acting as the link between residents and the police force.
David was particularly concerned with reducing re-offending, and helping victims of crime along their often painful journey to obtain justice. He set up a special fund to expand the use of Restorative Justice and victim support while in post. Nationally, he was the PCC lead for Equalities, Diversity and Human Rights, fighting for fair access to the policing and Criminal Justice System for those with protected characteristics.
Before being elected as a PCC, he was a long-standing county councillor, becoming Surrey County Chairman for a two-year spell. He started his working life a long time ago as an Army Officer in the Royal Engineers and was then involved in computer marketing. David became Chair of Why me? in May 2023, having been a Trustee since June 2021.
Julia Dawson
Julia brings a range of skills earned across working in different sectors. Her first role was working in medical research while studying for a qualification in Biological Sciences. She then went on a host of consumer and business portfolios within the media and publishing sector at Account Director level.
Now she works as a senior fundraiser within the charity sector specialising in fundraising from corporate companies. In 2015 she was chair of the BAME network at Victims Support in 2015-2017 and has a passion for social and restorative justice through an EDI lens.
Matthew Pink
Matthew initially trained as a probation officer, then moved to work as a Senior Practitioner in the Youth Offending Service. He currently manages the Restorative Justice Team in Cambridgeshire Youth Offending Service, and has experience as a trainer and practitioner in Restorative Justice work in the Criminal Justice System and the workplace.
Will Jacks
Will is the Research and Strategy Development Manager at the Henry Smith charity. He joined the Why me? board in June 2017. He started his career in the criminal justice sector and has worked in a prison as well as with police tackling online hate crime; he has authored several research papers on this. Since 2013, Will has worked for the Henry Smith charity, a large grant making trust where he is responsible for research and strategy development. He brings an understanding of the charity sector and experience working on both sides of the funder/grantee relationship.
Brian Neale
Brian worked for the police in a career that spanned thirty years and involved a multitude of wide and varied roles. On behalf of the Government Office for the North East and the Home Office, Brian worked in community safety management, project development and project delivery across a range of crime reduction and community safety subjects, often working in partnering arrangements with the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Brian is a long standing champion of Restorative Justice and during his career influenced local partners to invest in Restorative Justice, which ultimately led to its introduction across criminal justice organisations, recovery services, and local authorities. After working regionally and nationally as an advisor, accredited practitioner and trainer, he was given the opportunity to build Restorative Justice services across the Tees Valley. This resulted in the creation of a multi-agency team working across all facets of Restorative Justice, most notably in the area of serious and complex cases in the probation and prison environments.
Prior to his ‘retirement’ Brian led the local service in achieving the Restorative Justice Councils quality mark – RSQM. To date, Brian’s involvement with Restorative Justice continues, working with partners to explore Restorative Justice ideas with young people and latterly military veterans.